


Groom Price

by smilebackwards



Category: Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Genre: Didn't Know They Were Dating, Dragons, Gift Giving, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 06:18:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19969414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smilebackwards/pseuds/smilebackwards
Summary: Tharkay keeps giving Laurence gifts.





	Groom Price

**Author's Note:**

> For the fandomweekly prompt Hindsight

Laurence looked down at the supple leather falconry gloves, their seams picked out in shining gold thread, that Tharkay had gifted him that morning. 

“Thank you,” Laurence had said, surprised and pleased. They fit as if they’d been patterned off his flying gloves. “But I don’t have a falcon with which to do them justice,” he’d added. Tharkay had only hummed in a noncommittal manner that made Laurence suspect he might be recieving another gift shortly and set off on business to the village.

“Temeraire,” Laurence said, “do you think that Tharkay has been acting at all oddly lately?” The gloves followed on on the heels of a lovely new morning coat in aviator green Tharkay had commissioned for him only last week. 

“I’m sure he is only a little anxious, waiting as he has been for your answer,” Temeraire said. The look he gave Laurence held mild censure.

Laurence was rather at a loss for how he’d earned it. The last thing he ever wanted was to be unkind to Tharkay. “I’m not entirely sure I follow.”

“Oh, but Tharkay has been _quite_ clear, Laurence,” Temeraire said with evident surprise. “The gloves and the balcony and the very lovely coat.” He nosed the soft velvet of Laurence’s new coat. “I do not see why you are being so very long in deciding.”

The balcony. Laurence had forgotten the balcony. As soon as his own quarters had finished being restored, Tharkay had directed that the balcony be added to Laurence’s suite, a gentle curve of stone where he and Temeraire could always be easily in each other’s view. Laurence used it rather a great deal and Tharkay had added one to his own rooms shortly after. “Since you seem to like it so much,” he’d said.

“Deciding?” Laurence said. “But, my dear, what on earth am I meant to be deciding?”

“Why, if you will marry him!” Temeraire exclaimed.

Laurence, who had almost fallen from dragonback more times than he cared to count, had seldom felt so thrown. “Marry him,” he said, faintly.

“I very much think you should, Laurence,” Temeriere said, with an air of confidence. “But only, of course, if it will make you happy. I do so want you to be happy,” he added, peering at Laurence anxiously, the way he’d taken up since they’d committed high treason and Laurence had given him unfortunate cause for concern.

Laurence’s mouth felt very dry. His heart pounded with a strange echoing beat, at once frantic and fluttering; a feeling almost like hope rested behind his breastbone. “But he has not asked. He has never even spoken of such feelings.” And Laurence found them rather doubtful. The motivations Temeraire chose to ascribe to humanity were not always entirely accurate.Tharkay had often been kind but he had not given any indications toward romantic inclinations.

“Oh, he spoke of them to me,” Temeraire said blithely. “And Immortalis tells me Tharkay has gone about it in just the right way. When Granby asked for Captain Little’s hand, he sought his dragon’s approval first.” 

Temeraire preened and Laurence noticed a new thread of gold around his hind leg. Perhaps Laurence was not the only one who had received gifts from Tharkay. 

But, then, could it be true? That they were courting gifts and groom price, tokens of affection in a way that Laurence had not at once perceived?

“Marriage,” Laurence said, still grappling with the novelty of this new possibility. “I did not think you were in favor of the institution.” Or certainly not when it came to Laurence himself. The wailing and gnashing of teeth over Mrs. Pemberton had seemed quite conclusive. 

Temeraire tossed his head and sniffed. “Those others...They were not Tharkay.” 

Laurence suppressed a smile. It was true that there was no one quite like Tharkay. Laurence had loved him for years, quietly and without any particular hope. He did not think he had been blind to Tharkay’s affection but in hindsight it was possible he had been mistaken about its depth, the course it ran.

Laurence’s answer, certainly, would be yes, but how could he answer a question that he had not heard? That might not have been a question at all? Perhaps Laurence could have a gift commissioned for Tharkay as well and see how it was receieved.

Tharkay rounded the corner of the estate and stopped, looking out across the wide stretch of lawn where Laurence and Temeraire were seated. He hesitated for a moment, as if he might turn away, walk back into the house instead of coming over. Laurence raised a hand and Tharkay started across the lawn toward them.

A proper gift could take weeks to be commissioned and completed, Laurence thought. And Tharkay had already been waiting weeks for an answer if the situation were to be credited. 

Tharkay was in front of him now, his head tilted questioningly. Laurence reached for his courage. 

“If you were asking me a question,” Laurence said quietly, his heart crowded in his thoat, “any question at all, my answer is yes.”

Tharkay smiled. “I’m glad to hear it, Will,” he said, and his eyes were as warm as his hand on Laurence’s cheek when he leaned in for a kiss.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] Groom Price](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24061330) by [sisi_rambles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sisi_rambles/pseuds/sisi_rambles)




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